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John Trumbull Sr.
He was an American artist during the period of the American Revolutionary war and was notable for his historical paintings. His declaration of independence was used on the reverse of the two-dollar bill. He was born in Lebanon, a town in Connecticut, he later attended Harvard University at the age of fifteen years old. He later died in New York City. -
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John Witherspoon
A Scottish immigrant. He became a leading member of the Continental Congress and took part in more than a hundred of it's committees. Shortly after signing the Declaration of Independence. He responded to a person who argued that the colonies were not ready for independence. He commented saying that it "was only ripe for independence, but in danger of rotting for the want of it." He was a Presbyterian clergyman, and he became President of the college of New Jersey, Later known as Princeton. -
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John Hancock
The most recognizable signature on the Declaration of independence, he was a prosperous merchant from Boston and the president of the constitutional Congress. He made his signature so large so that King George the third could read it without his glasses. When the first Declaration was printed and sent to each colony, it carried only Johns signature, since the official document had not yet been drawn up for others to sign.His named became a symbol to George Washington for freedom. -
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John Jay
He was a member of the Continental Congress who favored independence. He was absent at the time when the Declaration of independence was signed. Later, he helped negotiate the peace treaty with England ending the Revolutionary war. After the new constitution was written, it had to be ratified, or approved, by the states before it could be put into effect. Jay was the author of the three essays in the "Federalists Papers", which charged strongly in support of ratification. -
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Benjamin Rush
Another signer of the Declaration of Independence , he was a physician, educator, and humanitarian. He's something known as "The Father of American Medicine". He was a Pioneer in the fields of physiology and psychiatry. He's also know for his proposal to establish a national public university to train public servants. He favored the education of women, and helped to establish and finance the oldest African-American church in the country in Philadelphia. -
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John Peter Muhlenburg
Was a protestant minister who recruited soldiers and rose to the rank of general. He was born in Pennsylvania, studied in Germany and in America, and became a Protestant minister. Strong support for independence came from several colonial religious leaders. Many colonists attended church on Sundays, where ministers made their views known in weekly sermons. -
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Declaration of Independence
Stated the colonists' decision to separate from Britain. The Declaration listed colonial grievances against Britain and prvided a theory of government" "Governments purpose is to protect individuals unalienable rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". When a government oppresses citizens' rights, they have a right to overthrow it. -
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U.S. Constitution
The Constitution was written by the Constitutional Convention, established by the basic structure of our national government. It established a government in which power rested with the people, who elect their own representatives. The framers of the Constitution sought to create a national government strong enough to defend the nations interests and to promote its general welfare. The New constitution created an elected President, a Congress with 2 houses and a Supreme Court. -
Eminent Domain
Refers to the power of a government over property in it's territory. Sometimes the government needs to take over private property for public use. According to the fifth amendment, "private property shouldn't be taken for public use without just compensation ." In other words , before the government can exercise its power of eminent domain, it must provide the owner with compensation. -
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The Fifth Amendment
A citizen cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without "due process of law". Certain legal procedures must be carried out according to established rules before a person can be punished. A person cannot be tried for serious federal crime, which could lead to imprisonment or execution, without an indictment by a grand jury- a formal accusation before a person is arrested. An accused person cannot be forced to say things that will be used against him or herself; Eminent domain. -
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The Bill of Rights
The bill of rights was added to the Constitution in the form of the first ten amendments to further protect individual rights from government abuse. As soon as the first congress assembled in 1789, it began deciding which rights to include in the "Bill of Rights". A list of possible rights was reduced to ten, which were approved by the members of Congress. Two-thirds of the state Legislatures approved these amendments by 1791 -
Charles Carroll
One of the wealthiest men in the colonies, he helped finance the Revolution with his own money. He was the first to recognize the necessity for independence from Britain and strongly argued for armed resistance to Britain. He was from Maryland, and a catholic. At that time Catholics made up less than two percent of the colonial population and lacked political rights. Carroll helped in the struggle for the acceptance of the Roman Catholic religion in America. -
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Alex de Tocqueville and his five principles
Author of Democracy in America, and he named five crucial values to American success as a constitutional republic. His five principles were liberty, Egalitarianism, individualism, populism, Laissez-faire. -
"In God We Trust"
Is the official motto of the United States, it was adopted as the nations motto in 1956 as an alternative or replacement of the unofficial motto of "E pluribus unum", which was adopted when the Great Seal of the United states was created and adopted in 1782. "In God We Trust" first appeared on the U.S. coins in 1864 and has appeared on paper currency since 1957. A law passed in a Joint Resolution by the 84th Congress and approved by President Dwight Eisenhower on July 30, 1956.